Guest Blog: RESPECT – Think + Act = Receive

What creates an environment of deep admiration and appreciation in an organization?

RESPECT: Think + Act = Receive

Respect is key in creating professional environments that are healthy, alive, forward moving, and sustainable. To create the feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements (the noun definition of the word) in an organization, we must take the action (the verb) of the definition first.

So how do we do that when many business and corporate professionals do not respect each other? How do we bridge the gap between where we exist now and the environment in which most of us would like to work?

I recently watched Undercover Boss. I love that show! Over and over, I have watched bosses who go undercover to work side by side with their employees to see a new perspective. These bosses are not going undercover to see what their employees are doing wrong, but rather to see how the decisions made at the top are actually filtering down into the company. The bosses are able to gain respect for the hard work, difficult situations, and humanity of their most valuable assets within the company – their people. Once in a while, they will recognize someone that needs to leave; but, in most cases, they recognize how truly good the people are that are working for them. They often see someone that truly exemplifies the brand and goes beyond the standards. Over and over the bosses respect their employees for the amazing people they are – and that often goes well beyond the borders of work. When it is eventually revealed that the boss has been undercover and actually cared, listened and acted upon what they had learned, they gain the respect of the employees.

Respect does not have to come from the top down. It does not have to come from the bottom up. Where respect begins is within each of us. Yes, it is nice to get kudos and be recognized, but your feeling of satisfaction and value has to come from within. The same goes for the opposite. Do not let someone make you feel less because of the way they act toward you. Be in your power and take the actions that will allow you to respect yourself.

Give respect. There are a million reasons you can find to not respect someone else and I’m sure you can find someone else to validate those reasons. What if you changed your view? What if, instead, you saw the way we do differences as our strength? If we remember that we are not in a competition, but rather we are each in our own journey, and that how we choose to uniquely travel our journey can add to the whole experience of a working environment. Do we really want to be robots? Do we really expect we should all do something the way we would do it? Of course not. So don’t let the frustration of our differences be what causes friction and annoyance. Let those differences be something we appreciate, something we respect.

By giving respect we create an open environment of collaboration, and collaboration is a key to the success of healthy, alive, forward moving, sustainable, and respectful workplaces.

Respect yourself; never let someone make you feel less by the way they act.

Give respect. Appreciate our unique differences.

Be hungry to understand how our unique talents, gifts, and skills can blend to create new answers to old problems.

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